What is it?!! Help!!

[Bearlove]

Hi, I need advice I feel like I'm getting no help from doctors or hv. My baby is 4 months old. We started her on cow and gate first formula and about 6 weeks in she was very constipated so hv said to try comfort milk after a week she got really dry skin on her face, I took her to the docs and they said it was impetigo!! I knew in my gut tho it was this milk so I changed back and her skin improved. In Dec she got a rash on her back and front that looked like eczema but I hadn't changed washing powder etc. It got worse to the point it was weeping so the doc said it was ring worm!! 🙄. The cream made it worse again so I went back and they gave me zeroderm and steroid cream. They made it a lot better, but in the back of my mind I was thinking she may have cows milk allergy? She's sick a lot aswell after milk. So they gave us similac, no questions asked or anything just gave it her, she wouldn't take it anyway coz it smells and tastes like arseholes. So she's now on aptamil pepti 1 which she will drink but she's still being sick and her skin has got better but not fully. The aptamil is really thin and I'm worried it's not filling her so Iv used carabel but she then struggles to get wind up. The farts stink on this aswell where as on the cow and gate they didn't. Is there a cows milk allergy formula that doesn't taste bad? Has she got a cows milk intolerance or is she just a sicky baby with eczema? Where do I go from here? I'm so confused and I'm getting no help! I tried her back on her cow and gate last night and I'm sure her skins dryer again this morning. 🙈. I'm at my wits end. Can anyone advise?

I'm not trained so I would probably take my advice with a pinch of salt OP

Allergy UK have some information on CMPA here. From what you've said, it does sound like it could be this. Have a read of the symptoms and see what you think

The Similac you were prescribed is completely DF and the Pepti does contain milk which is probably why her symptoms haven't stopped.

Is there anyway you can get her back on the Similac? Some parents find that adding vanilla essence or Nesquik helps LO to take it.

Have you tried introducing it an ounce at a time? So if she takes the Pepti, and has say 6 floz, make up 5 of Pepti and add one of Similac. Do this for a while then do 4 Pepti and 2 Similac until she's having just the Similac.

If the GP suspects she has CMPA, I wouldn't give her regular Formula again. This could make her pretty poorly

Have she been referred to a Paediatric Dietician too?

We were advised to add a couple of drops of vanilla extract to CMPA formula. It worked and we phased it out over a few days

@JiltedJohnsJulie sorry for late reply. I didn't realise u could do that so Iv just done it and added a scoop to her aptamil pepti 1. Her rash is really bad atm so I intend to take her to the doctors ASAP tomorrow coz she is itching like mad!! Could it be washing liquid? No one is helping me st the doctors at all so I'm going to demand to see a baby doctor tomorrow!

It could be the washing powder, we always use a non-bio. Both Lidl and Aldi well non-bio powder and gel.

But equally, it could be the fact that she's having milk protein and is allergic to it

Was the article from Allergy of any use?

Just be careful adding nesquik or vanilla essence (which has lots of sugar) to the milk of a 4 month old.

I think one of the main ingredients of the Similac is sugar so it might not make much difference on this

I did think lactose is a sugar, other sugars in the formula and other ingredients... but yeah..

Please ask for a referral to your allergy clinic at the local hospital.
Your daughter sounds like my son who I put on to soya milk (comes with its own issues!!) at 9 months.
Within 3 weeks, his skin was like new.
You definitely need help and support to get through this. Sending

@JiltedJohnsJulie @BlueUggs Iv added a pic of her skin. It upsets me to see her like this. Will read the article now. Iv been using fairy no bio since birth and lowered how much I use so I was guna try and was her stuff in nothing. We had the sickness bug at Xmas and it says they can become lactose intolerant for 4-8 weeks after. I did try her on that milk before this cmpa and her skin got better but I thought it was the cream I'm using but now it's bad again. I just hate changing her back and forth from different mills but now I'm wondering if I should try the lactose one again!

Goodness her skin looks really sore. I don't have much advice apart from maybe try and see a different GP. Also, I am not sure if they are allowed Piriton at such a young age but its perhaps somethings to ask the GP tomorrow (only until you have figured out the issue, it may help calm the rash/itching for her).

Sorry I wasn't being funny. This particular formula is 15 % sugar.

@SheldonSaysSo it was the doctor that gave me the piriton and I did question it but they said it's ok. I only give it her if I really need to. It's Sod's law this happens over the weekend!!!

Oh I didn't see that she had been given it - apologies! I just thought it may help with the itching until you can solve the issue.

They gave me neocate and aptimil Pepti and he wouldn't take either.
My Dr told me it was eczema and kept on prescribing steroid cream....
My son is now almost 8 and we still have to keep him on a low dairy diet....

SMA Alfamino is apparently a bit more palatable than Neocate etc